The present applicant's Australian Patent 667145 discloses a structural member of a kind rollformed from a strip of metal sheet so that the strip is folded over onto itself at its lateral edges to form respective boxed edge formations linked by a web. The web and adjacent portions of the boxed edge formations define a longitudinally extending recess of dovetail cross-section. Boxed structural members of this form are well suited to serve as wall studs in steel building frames in that they provide sufficient structural strength with minimum material, while the boxing imparts sufficient rigidity to allow other frame and cladding components to be fastened to the studs by nailing.
Initial trials utilising structural members of the above described kind as wall studs have revealed a difficulty with stacking and transport. More conventional steel frame components of channel-like configuration, such as those used for top and bottom plates and noggings in steel house frames, are easily stackable for transport by nesting the components together. The edge formations of the box studs prevent nesting, however, and lateral ties or restraints are necessary on stacks to overcome the low coefficient of friction between opposed steel surfaces which otherwise prevents a stack of the studs from remaining stable. Stackability is also impaired by the thinness of the steel sheet in which the box studs are usually formed: advantageous in that the box studs are lightweight and cost efficient, but a disadvantage in that they are less robust in stacks.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome this difficulty.